Thermal Analysis ofPolymers: Fundamentalsand Applications

By J. D. Menczeland R. B. Prime

Wiley, 2009,

hardcover, 688

pages, 129 s,ISBN:

978-0471769170

The subtitle, viz. ‘‘Fundamentals and

Applications’’, reflects already very

well the aims of this book: to describe

the principles of the thermal analysis

(TA) methods and to show their

straightforward use for polymers.

And these aims have been fully

reached! Major factors of this success

are likely linked with the long-term

praxis of the editorswith almost all TA

techniques and to their persuading

skill to attract excellent co-writers.

Thebook isoutlinedaccordingto the

core TA techniques: differential scan-

ning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravi-

metric analysis (TGA), thermomecha-

nical analysis (TMA) and thermal

dilatometry (TD), dynamicmechanical

analysis (DMA), and– fortunately also -

dielectric analysis (DEA). A further

merit of this book is that those TA

techniques are also surveyed which

work on micro- and nanoscale. Each

chapter is carefully organized: funda-

mentals, measuring principles, mea-

suring know-how, selected applica-

tions. The applications examples are

well chosen also from didactical point

of view. The chapter on DSC for

example makes the reader not

only with the various techniques

acquainted (traditional, modulated,

fast scanning, photocalorimetry),

informs also about the calibrations,

and gives an excellent overviewon the

use ofDSC for both thermoplastics and

thermosets. In this respect: some

examples on rubber systems might

have been a useful extension! The

related treatise includes the widely

accepted theoretical interpretations

along with the corresponding litera-

ture. Each chapter lists the related

standards, thoughonly theASTMones.

The chapters are extremely well

written, the schemes and selected

examples are clear, informative and

highly relevant. Moreover, the book is

very well indexed which helps the

reader to find easily the topic searched

for.

This book will attract broad audi-

ence from both academia (its fate is to

become an indispensable handbook

for both students and teachers!) and

industry (all people doing TA). To sum

up: this is an extremely useful book

that should be placed aside of each TA

instrument. I strongly recommend

buying this book – it is simply great!

Published online: September 9, 2009

Jozsef Karger-Kocsis

(Budapest, Hungary)

Book Review

Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2009, 210, 1661

� 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim DOI: 10.1002/macp.200900423 1661